Gambella Blog

2011-05-20T01:59:00.000-06:00

Ethiopian opposition leaders fall: Birtukan Mideksa and Lidetu Ayalew

2011-03-30T00:19:00.000-06:00

Ethiopian opposition leaders fall: Birtukan Mideksa and Lidetu Ayalew

Kadhafi to surrender power soon

2011-03-29T03:27:00.000-06:00

Kadhafi to surrender power soon

Gambella: Saudi Star Company Will Invest $2.5 Billion in Ethiopia Rice Farm

2011-03-25T02:49:00.000-06:00

Gambella: Saudi Star Company Will Invest $2.5 Billion in Ethiopia Rice Farm

On July 03, 2010, Anyuak Community Church of Calgary (ACCC) will be hosting a worship conference.

2010-06-26T22:51:00.004-06:00

An independent private news media has launched its website, visit us @ http://www.gambellastarnews.com/

We are pleased to announce that ACCC will be hosting a worship conference next week and we wish to extend a warm invitation to you and your family to come and join us in praising the Lord. We are expecting other brothers and sisters from US and from within Canada to join us.

"Bless the LORD, O my soul; and forget none of His benefits."
"Because Thy loving kindness is better than life, my lips will praise Thee."
"I will give thanks to Thee, O LORD my God, with all my heart, and will glorify Thy name forever."
"Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD!"
--Psalm 103:2, 63:3, 86:12, 150:6 NASB

When: Saturday July 03, 2010

Time: 1:00 PM—8:00 PM

Where: Calgary Forest Heights Community Association
4909 Forego Ave. SE. Calgary, AB.
T2A 2C4

Contacts:

Okelo Aballa 403-454-7126
Dambi Bakow 403-366-9670
Ochudho Kiru 403-452-4869

For driving direction follow the google map below

View Larger Map

2010 Anyuak youth conference and the challenge they face in North America

2010-06-16T11:24:00.004-06:00

June 14, 2010 (Mankato, MN) -- Anyuak youth conference was a success .As the Anyuak young generation, dreaming a world with green fields, blue oceans, smiling faces, artistic thoughts and colorful cultures. They all dare to dream, because they know that they are powerful enough to make a difference; and they all dare to share their dreams, because sharing is a part of Anyuak way of life. In Mankato, MN, more than 1000 Anyuaks young brains from different States were gather to share the things that are crucial for humankind: culture, ideas, thoughts, language, art, peace, education, social, friendship and much more...

Young people often find ways to express themselves which are different to the generally accepted culture of their community. The various methods by which they express themselves and associate are known as youth culture.

Young people having a subculture unique to themselves is a recent phenomena. It is thought that it started to become most prevalent around the world, after they migrated from third world country due to the economic, political, and social.

Ironically the music, clothes, language etc. of youth culture is often created by non-young people (adults). For example, MTV, “Pop culture” while being seen as a big part of youth culture (at the present time) is controlled by adults. Boy bands, facebook, YouTube who find favour with young people are often not own by young themselves.

Other cultures typically create and produce their own cultural ideas, while young people have a certain amount produced by adults. To some people this raises questions about the exploitation and oppression of young people.

In Western civilization, a distinct teenage culture has developed. A "teenager" or "teen" is a person whose age is a number ending in "-teen" in the English language: that is to say, someone from the age of thirteen to the age of nineteen. The term "teenager" is roughly equivalent to adolescent. However due to marketing, the pre-teens (about 8-12 year olds, especially females) also have a strong youth culture. However, youth culture is beginning to expend its influence in increasingly younger age groups.

Today's youth culture in general can be characterized by:

A distinct style of dress. A dislike for other teenagers who are not part of the "youth culture" Glorification of "bad" behavior (sex, drugs, etc.), to symbolize being "different". Frequent use of slang and profanity, particularly in the older age groups. Cliques and friendship circles, almost like a "second family". High school dropout rates are particularly problematic measures for Anyuak youth. 3/4 (0.75) of Anyuak adolescents who are foreign-born are high school dropout and only less than 1/4 (0.25) go to college. (Gambella Star for Anyuak youth Education Statistics, 2010).

The high school dropout rate is a long-standing, widely used indicator of youth
educational outcomes. Teens that have dropped out of school clearly face an array of disadvantages. They are paid significantly less in the labor market and their employment opportunities are diminished. Their opportunities to enter postsecondary education are severely curtailed. Dropout status is also associated with numerous socially debilitating behaviors, including illegal activity, teen fertility, family matter, abuse, single parent and idleness.

Power within Anyuak’s youth Community leadership

2010-06-07T23:32:00.005-06:00

The 2010 Anyuak’s Youth Achievement Awards were presented recently at post graduation celebration party in Calgary, Canada to honor the accomplishments of the Anyuak's most inspiring and dedicated youth members.
GCAC applauded the award recipients, but also took the opportunity to issue a challenge to Anyuak youth around the globe. The time has come to integrate Anyuak’s youth society in to world community.

For all youth out there, start pulling up your pants, be brave, focus, get education wherever you are and invest your knowledge and time to your community. The Anyuak’s youth Association of Canada is one of the most powerful and well orgianized among Anyuak’s youth community around the world and will continue to lead throughout Anyuak’s land for our future leadership.

Imagine a future where every young person has the tools, the ability, and the desire to change the world. As thousands of youth continue to doubt how they can positively affect change, it is up to community to infuse a sense of social responsibility in the impressionable minds that will become the caretakers of tomorrow.

Community, teachers, parents, and family value are effective tools and resources to make the most of every opportunity to reach out to youth and expand their capacity for service and leadership.

Every young person is filled with potential for leadership to promote positive change, but young people need adults to help them fully realize their power.

Youth power. Why would this matter to a community that is trying to be sustainable? What benefits are there in having youth power or activism? When discussing a sustainable community a few key ingredients are necessary. Involvement of youth and including them in the many decision-making processes of community is important for any community that wishes to be sustainable. The principles of equality and ensuring that everyone, including the youth, has a voice in the community should be a priority. The youth of the community are the next generation of leaders, if they are not included in the community when they are young, they may not stay in the community to be the leaders of the future.

The value of youth power or participation in a community can be seen in the perspectives that they bring to the table. Much of the time, youth see issues from another angle and are less afraid to tackle an issue that is important to them. Young people also have a better grasp of the reality of the community as it is represented in school since schools are representative of the community they serve. With this view, the youth can answer questions relating to education better than most other people in the community.

Another point to note about youth power within a community is that the youth are the future leaders of the community. When you engage them from young age and encourage that they actively participate, the community will benefit in the long run from the attachment that the youth have developed to the community.

One of the concerns may be how to create an atmosphere where the youth want to get involved. Or, conversely, a community may already have a group of youth that want to be involved but the community does not want to include them. These are concerns that hopefully will be addressed by the resources in this section. It is important to remember, however, that all communities are unique. What works in one community may not work in another. The best way to get the youth involved in the community is to ask them what they think about the community and listen when they respond. In this section, you will find case studies on organizations that are trying actively to involve the youth, indicators of youth power and activism and a list of resources both governmental and non-governmental.

2010-06-03T09:10:00.001-06:00

An independent private news media has launched its website, visit us @ www.gambellastarnews.com

You’re all invited to attend youth’s post graduation celebration party.

2010-05-14T23:15:00.004-06:00

Memo:

To: All Anyuak Youth Community members, family and friends

From: Organizing Committee

Date: May 14, 2010

Re: You’re all invited to attend youth’s post graduation celebration party.

Dear brothers and sisters Anyuak Youth Community Association of Canada would like to invite its members, family and friends for post secondary school graduation celebration party. Okello Aballa and Omot Ochudo of Calgary Anyuak youth community members recently graduated from college (SAIT) Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, (Polytechnic). We would like to thank and congratulate them for their extra ordinary achievement and celebrate their accomplishment, joy, happiness and experience with the community. Every one welcome!
When:     Saturday, May 22, 2010

Time:      Door Open at 6: 00pm (local time) (Free Admission)

Location: Abbeydale Community Association(Hall)
                 821 Abbeydale Drive N.E
                 Calgary, AB, Canada T2A 6N7

Contacts: Meer Jock (Kiru) (403) 869-8949 (meerjock@hotmail.com)

              Okello K. Aballa (403) 454-7126 (okelloaballa@hotmail.com)

                Kay                   (403) 501-5431

D.J         Zan Aballer (403) 470-5415 ( l.j.00@hotmail.com)

Directions: West of Memorial Drive, turn north on 68 Streets and right on
                  Abbeydale Drive (City Quadrant N.E) OR

Follow the Google Map below

View Larger Map

Anyuaks children well-being and their future

2010-04-12T16:18:00.000-06:00

Anyuaks children well-being and their future

You're invited to attend ACANA Annual General Meeting on Feb, 20th, 2010.

2010-02-02T01:22:00.006-07:00

Memo:

TO: All Community Members

FROM: Anywa Community Association in North America Executives Committee

DATE: February 2, 2010

RE: Annual General Meeting (AGM)

Dear Community Members, the Anywa Community Association in North America (ACANA) Executives Committee are invited all community members to attending Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Saturday February 20th, 2010. The meeting will be held at Augustana Lutheran Church in Downtown Minneapolis from 11:00am to 5:00pm. Please plane to attend and try to come on time. We sincerely appreciate your time and attention.

When: Saturday February 20th, 2010
Time: 11:00am to 5:00pm

Location: Augustana Lutheran Church Downtown
704 11th Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN, 55415

Contacts: For more information: please call or e-mail:
Abulla Bagutti @ 507-440-5194 or abagutti@yahoo.com
Gilo Akway @ 651-491-6720 or maraakwak@yahoo.com

Sincerely,

ACANA Executive Committee

Follow the directions: On 11th Avenue two blocks south of the Metrodome.
On 11th Avenue between
7th Street and 8th Street.
Near Hennepin County
Medical Center.

View Larger Map

ACANA 2009 Outstanding Community Members Awards

2010-01-07T05:33:00.004-07:00

ACANA Chairman provided the awards to the Community members who work hard to enriching the community to move forward,during the Annual General Meeting(AGM) on July 4th of 2009

Photo by Abulla O' Gora

News - Gambella Community Society

2009-10-06T00:53:00.000-06:00

News - Gambella Community Society

He is Gone, But not forgotten. Remembering Ambassador Ofato Alew Ochen
OCTOBER 05, 20009 ( Calagry, Canada) Ambassador Ofato [aka Opatho] was born to his father Alew Ochan and his mother Dhorgi Olok in Abobo woreda of Gambella State.
In loving memory of Ambassador Ofato Alew, Love and fond memories _ " Gambella Community Society"

Always so good, unselfish and kind

None on this earth your equal we 'll find.

Honorable and true in all your ways,

Loving and faithful to the end of your days,

Honest and liberal, ever upright,

Just in your judgment, always right;

Loved by your friends and all whom you knew,

One in a million, that patriot was you.

One year has passed, our heart still sore,

As time has passed, our hearts still sore,

As time rolls on we miss you more;

A loving father, husband, friend tender and kind uncle.

What beautiful memories you left behind.

Death leaves heartache,

No one can heal,

Memories are treasures,

No one can steal,

Some may forget you,

Now that you are gone,

But we will remember,

No matter how long.

Deep in our hearts,

You will always stay,

Loved and remembered

Biography

After completing his elementary education in Gambella, Ambassador Ofato, went to Dembi Dollo, Wellega in September 1977 where he attended 11th and 12th grades. Bethel Evangelical Secondary School (BESS), where he attended his high school, was one of the popular private schools in Western part of Ethiopia. At the time, Gambella did not even have a single high school. However, Ambassador Ofato persevered and he paid school tuition from the money he saved when he was teaching at Pokow elementary school. Most of students from BESS joined universities in the country because of high results they scored in Ethiopian High School Leaving Examination. He was one of those who scored high results in the national examination. He, then, joined Addis Ababa University in 1980 where he studied English at the Department of International Languages. He was the first Anyua who graduated from Addis Ababa University with BA in foreign languages.

Ambassador Ofato started his career in Ministry of Information as a journalist from 1983 to 1991. He was an English newspaper editor in the ministry of information. In 1990, he was sent to United Kingdom to upgrade his journalism skills.

He was also the first Anyua to be appointed as an Ethiopian Ambassador and also the first Anyua to reach such great height in the Ethiopian Government system in more than 3000 years of the Ethiopian history. As Ambassador he served in the Sudan and Kenya. These two neighboring countries, in terms of security, were critical areas for the survival of the transitional government and required someone with journalism experience to encounter negative campaigns of opposition political parties based in Nairobi and Khartoum. Ambassador Alew had contributed a lot towards weakening of opposition political parties in those two countries.

He was recalled to the Headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Addis Ababa in September 1995 where he served as advisor in the office of Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs. Later on, he served in various departments of the ministry of foreign affairs including General Directorates of Policy and Planning as well as that of press, information and documentation.

While in Addis Ababa he also served as an amateur or volunteer in the Executive Committee of Ethiopian Football Federation. He was a member of the committee and coordinator of Public relations of the Federation.

Ambassador Ofato Alew was a strong activist who fought for democracy to prevail in his country among his people. He had contributed in strengthening Gambella Peoples Liberation Movement (GPLM) during struggle against Communist regime and later played a great role in the formation of Gambella Peoples Democratic Congress (GPDC).

Ambassador Ofato Alew was a responsible husband and father. Two of his children are attending Universities. One of them is at Addis Ababa University, Ariet Kilo branch, and another one is at Harare University. Two of his elder children are now working in Gambella.

Ambassador Ofato Alew Ochan passed away on October 5, 2008 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia at the age of 51. His funeral was conducted at the Holy Trinity Church on October 6th, 2008. May his soul rest in peace!!

Ethiopia New Year

2009-09-12T18:13:00.000-06:00

Funeral for Marwa Akway Omot set for Saturday

2009-08-21T00:48:00.000-06:00

Funeral for Marwa Akway Omot set for Saturday

Popstar Teddy Afro freed from jail

2009-08-14T23:39:00.000-06:00

Ethiopia’s most popular singer,Teddy Afro, was freed early from prison on Thursday after serving 18 months of a two-year sentence for hit-and-run manslaughter.The performer was found guilty of killing an 18-year-old homeless man while driving his BMW in the capital Addis Ababa in 2007. “I was able to meet many good people in prison, from the lowest-ranking policemen to the highest administrator. I had a nice time. My relations with other prisoners were also good,”Afro told state TV after his release. Afro, who is well known for criticizing the government in his fiery lyrics, is hugely popular among young Ethiopians. Hundreds protested outside the court during his trial — an unusual event in a nation where dissent is rare.

Marwa's body found in Mississippi River

2009-08-10T23:38:00.000-06:00

Marwa's body found in Mississippi River

Ethiopia Prepares For 'Rumble In The Jungle' Redux

2009-08-02T20:37:00.000-06:00

Ethiopia Prepares For 'Rumble In The Jungle' Redux

Agwa Alemo and success historical for GPDM

2009-08-02T19:02:00.000-06:00

Agwa Alemo and success historical for GPDM

Stern warning from U.S.

2009-07-30T12:38:00.001-06:00

Eritrea has only a short time to stop undermining security in Somalia or face possible UN sanctions, Washington’s ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, said yesterday. Rice told a congressional committee the United States was “deeply concerned and very frustrated” with Eritrea’s behavior in Somalia, including arming and funding Islamist insurgents “It is unacceptable, and we will not tolerate it, and nor will other members of the Security Council,” she told the House Foreign Affairs Committee. The UN Security Council warned Eritrea this month it would consider action against anyone undermining peace in Somalia.

Apollo 11 Moon Landing

2009-07-21T18:09:00.000-06:00

JULY 20, 2009 On the 40th anniversary of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin's famous touchdown on the surface of the moon, two American astronauts exited the International Space Station to take a spacewalk of their own.
David Wolf and Thomas Marshburn began the 215th spacewalk in NASA history on Monday when they steppped outside the station at 11:27 a.m. ET.

It will be the second spacewalk in three days for the astronauts, who arrived on Friday aboard the space shuttle Endeavour along with five other colleagues, including Canadian astronaut Julie Payette.

In terms of glamour, the spacewalk has nothing on NASA's 13th spacewalk, conducted 40 years to the day on Monday, when Armstrong and Aldrin stepped down onto the moon for the first time.

During the 6½-hour mission outside the space station, Wolf and Marshburn are scheduled to transfer three pieces of hardware to an external stowage platform on the station's port side.
While the two work outside the station, the shuttle and station crew will be busy assisting them and attempting to fix one of the station's two toilets, which broke down on Sunday. Until it is fixed, the astronauts will use either the one functioning toilet on the station or the toilet on the shuttle.

Endeavour's astronauts are scheduled to conduct three more spacewalks during their 16-day mission, the main focus of which is to install two platforms outside the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo experiment module at the space station.

Endeavour's arrival on Friday marked the first time two Canadians have ever worked together in space at the same time. Montreal-born Payette joined New Westminster, B.C.,-native Robert Thirsk, who had travelled to the space station aboard a Russian Soyuz rocket that lifted off from a launch pad in Kazakhstan on May 27.

Thirsk, who is living on the station for six months, is the first Canadian to stay aboard the station for an extended period.